Morning headlines: Thursday, August 4, 2011

Cargill is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced at an Arkansas plant after it was linked to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella.

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St. Louis area grocers remove recalled turkey from shelves

The meat processor, Cargill, is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced at an Arkansas plant after it was linked to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, grocers in the St. Louis area were notified yesterday afternoon. Schnucks carried a limited amount of the Honeysuckle White brand ground frozen turkey. Dierbergs carries a different brand that was not recalled.

One person in California has died, and at least 76 people across 26 states, including Missouri and Illinois have fallen ill. The Post-Dispatch reports that the outbreak involves a strain of bacteria that is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics.

Search for Mo. Trooper enters fourth day

The search for missing Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Fred Guthrie Jr of Platte City continues for a fourth day. Guthrie disappeared Monday after being swept away by floodwaters with his patrol dog. The search is focused near Big Lake in northwest Missouri. The body of Guthrie's K-9 partner, Reed, was found Tuesday.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports a veterinarian determined the dog drowned, confirming the patrol's belief that no foul play is suspected in the case. A support fund has been established at the Bank of Weston to help Guthrie's wife and three children.

Mo. budget writer says state should use rainy day fund to pay for disaster clean-ups

The top budget writer in the Missouri House says the state should tap its rainy day fund to pay for recovery efforts from tornadoes and flooding. House Budget Committee Chairman Ryan Silvey tells The Associated Press that he will advocate for using the rainy day fund during a special legislative session that is expected to occur in September.

The Missouri Constitution allows half of the roughly $500 million reserve fund to be used for disasters. But the money must be repaid over the next three years.

Gov. Jay Nixon has pledged $150 million toward recovery efforts from a May 22 tornado that hit Joplin and flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. But Nixon plans to cover that with existing revenues and spending cuts to other government programs.